warwickhunt

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='960956' date='Sep 19 2010, 09:54 AM']For me it's tone all the way. We are the variable in this equation and we have an inherent ability to adapt. We have a duty to the audience to offer the best we can. They don't care if if we find the profile or balance a bit off.[/quote] An interesting view and not one that I am criticising or saying is wrong but an audience will have as many variations on what they like in a bass sound as we do as players. Hence you as the player (unless you are a session player and [u]told[/u] what the sound required is) are deciding what is the best tone for your audience, which you are entitled to do but then again if the next bassist happens to think 'I prefer this sound' does that mean the audience are getting short changed? Just throwing the thought out there for consideration!

I did a 'pair' of gigs last night; me playing with my current band, supported by my band who reformed for the occasion. Seeing as it was a party for a friend and a no pressure gig (though massively enjoyable as everyone was into music and up for it), I took along a bunch of basses to see what felt/sounded best/right; PRS EB IV (Pyramid Gold flats), Bolin NS (DR Sunbeams) & Warwick Streamer Ltd Ed (DR Sunbeams). I played each bass for a couple of numbers and swapped whenever the guitarist took time-out to change from Les Paul to Strat (less disruption). During the first set I pretty quickly established that the playability (overall feel of the bass hanging and moving around the fingerboard etc.) of the Warwick closely followed by the Bolin were streets ahead of the PRS, which is a traditional shaped/styled Fenderish design BUT on stage the PRS seemed to have a nice old school tone; I was unsure if this was the strings (flats v rounds) or the pups, fingerboard wood, electronics etc etc However I came off after the first spot and every one I spoke to comment on how good the PRS sounded and how it had a nice 'bright' tone ...it had flats on that have been swapped between 3 other basses and sounded as 'unbright' as an unbright thing in a dark room! Mrs WH even commented that it sounded great in the little bit of string popping that I did in one of the songs (don't worry I didn't try to slap the RHCP with flats it was 'Jack & Diane' John C Mellancamp). People who've seen the band on various occasions even commented that they heard certain things that they'd not noticed I did before (tsk no surprise there then ). Right! I whipped the flats off the PRS and put them on the Streamer and vice versa, quick word with the Mrs to have a listen to the sound of the bass, then on for the second spot. Same as first set; feel of the Warwick was slightly better than the Bolin which both felt better than the traditional PRS. Obviously the PRS and Warwick had a different tone now but I had a nagging suspicion the tone of the PRS was carrying better. After the gig it became apparent that out front (no PA support just my Aggie DB12's and Thunderfunk) the tone of the PRS was the flavour of the night. I have to state at this point we are obviously talking opinion here and everyone will have a different one; added to which we aren't talking masses of difference in sound, especially as I could tweak my amp a bit to compensate (which I did btw for the varied outputs) but it certainly left me posing the question about playing bass in a gigging/live setting... Do I/we play a bass that 'feels' great but is maybe a 95% as good as the tone of a bass that doesn't feel as good OR do we go for the best sounding bass? I'm not asking anyone to make my mind up for me, I've already established in my head what I think and if anyone bothers to comment I'll give my verdict later but for now I wondered what others thought.

I have no experience what-so-ever with the P bass Special but from past experience of active basses it might pay to see if there is a trimpot built into the preamp/board so that you can match the active/passive output.

This talk of truss rod problems; it stems from a few of the earlier basses and as has been pointed out, it's likely as much to do with ham-fisted adjustment as it is too do with anything else. I have to say that I've owned dozens (and I mean 'dozens') of Warwick basses and I've NEVER had an issue with a rod. I did have one rod that someone had been using the incorrect size allen key to adjust and it was a bit chewed but that was easily sorted. The other thing is that 99.9% of the problems with a Warwick truss rod are an easy and relatively inexpensive fix (the truss rods are removable without recourse to taking off fingerboards etc.). However, their is one BC owner who had a problem with his TR and unluckily for him the rod wouldn't tap out so his luthier did need to do a major bit of work to get it out. Saying that there probably isn't a large scale manufacturer out there that hasn't had some kind of issue with some aspect of their bass but things can end up being blown out of proportion. I personally have no problem or worry with Warwick TRs but if I couldn't try one in the flesh before buying I'd reckon on worst case scenario maybe £75 to fix any problem... then again I'd only be buying an old model anyway not one of the new ones!

Even though the bass has sold previously on here for a very low price (sure Gaf was gutted) I'd say it's worth about what you paid for it! In an ideal world the NT Streamers should be selling for about a price mid way between a Euro and a USA Spector, alternatively about 33% less than new price (+/- 10%) and the BO/LX Streamer should be a bit less than a Euro Spector or about 25% behind the Streamer NT. However we don't live in an ideal world and Warwick prices are massively variable; hence it's a case of throw a price out there and see if anyone bites!

The nitro 'can' react to the rubber on certain stands/hangars but only if left on for a long period. The answer is to either wrap a piece of soft cloth around the stand or put it back in its gigbag/case.

[quote name='Kuniva' post='958325' date='Sep 16 2010, 02:04 PM']Can someone tell me what are the best suited strings for Warwick bass guitars? Its a streamer model[/quote] IMHO I don't think that there is such a thing as a string that best suits a Streamer. I love DR Sunbeams on my Streamers but then again I love DR Sunbeams on ANY bass... the next poster might hate nickels! I think its a case of establishing if you prefer flats or rounds, choose your fave gauge then decide if you like nickels or steels... after that you start to get nit picky.

[quote name='hillbilly deluxe' post='959092' date='Sep 17 2010, 08:15 AM']Bass Doc.[/quote] +1 for The Bass Doc

Unfortunately (for the seller) I've seen some Rays ending on eBay for less than £600!

I had an SWR 220 yonks ago (oddly though I don't remember the piping/lettering being that greeny/blue) and they are a decent amp, as is the cab. The BBE preamp was another of my passed bits of kit and other than being a tad noisy (not that you'd notice in a gig situation) at 'some' settings, that is a very under-rated bit of kit as well; the sonic maximiser circuit can do wonders for some set-ups.

[quote name='grahamd' post='956354' date='Sep 14 2010, 06:39 PM']Great player, usually plays Lakland. His stuff with Lyrics Born is funky sh*t[/quote] Lakland DJ with EMG's I assume... [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Or8M3C6GuCs&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Or8M3C6GuCs...feature=related[/url]

Pyramid Golds they almost certainly are... no issue with any string snapping though!

I have a set of flats with lilac coloured silk wraps, which I bought from someone on here and for the life of me I can't remember what make they are... anyone help me out as I'm tired of looking through threads trying to trace them! Cheers

Rules is rules, you have to state a price for this bass... or at least put it in the right section!

[quote name='Linus27' post='955694' date='Sep 14 2010, 08:33 AM']OK, mmm, why does the neck feel longer and more of a stretch on a Warwick then? It has to be because it has more frets/another octave??[/quote] All to do with where the top strap button is in relation to the 12th fret and the placement of the bridge (specifically the saddle break point) in relation to the back of the body.

[quote name='Linus27' post='955573' date='Sep 13 2010, 11:39 PM']The bad points, 1. Well, its 34" scale which is hard to get used to if you have played Fenders for 23 years. Its still an uncomfortable stretch.[/quote] Fender Jazz/Precision etc are all 34" scale! Unless you've been playing a shortscale Musicmaster or similar you've been playing a 34"

Are you talking the new Squier CV or a JV, SQ, Chinese, Jap? It does make a difference. It'd be just as easy to get The Bass Doc to make you a one from scratch (no pun intended) and you'd be sure of the holes lining up, he uses only the best ply and they are spot on for quality and fit.

... because people haven't tried a Warwick Streamer yet!

[quote name='gareth' post='953114' date='Sep 11 2010, 08:29 PM']Mis-spellings like this or mis-classifications provide opportunities for canny buyers. Like this:- [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-series-04-62-reissue-USA-Fender-precision-case-/320584615911?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item4aa45507e7"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-series-04-62...=item4aa45507e7[/url] Sold for £599 - probably because the seller did not include "bass" in the description. £599 is a steal for these basses that cost more in sunburst and are available new here for £1539:- [url="http://www.dv247.com/guitars/fender-american-vintage-62-precision-bass-3-colour-sunburst--41159"]http://www.dv247.com/guitars/fender-americ...sunburst--41159[/url][/quote] I sold my 2009 USA P bass (sunburst), upgraded with a BA and Nordy pups (Jazz pup added by The Bass Gallery) for not much more than this; even though that may appear cheap it is basically the going rate for used instruments! As regards the Sado... I'd be inclined to be a tad suspicious of someone that owned a Sadowsky bass and didn't even know how to spell it (especially as has been noted, it is big and bold on the headstock).